The beer garden is beautiful, the food delicious.
But the horseman at the entrance to the Altstadt Restaurant in Swakopmund is polarizing because it's a replica of the so-called Reiterdenkmal (Equestrian Monument), which is associated with the German colonial era and, in particular, with the past of the Herero and Nama Wars. The original monument in Windhoek was toppled by the Namibian government in 2013 because, for many, it is a symbol of oppression and colonial crimes. The restaurant's owner deliberately placed the replica. He argues that history should be part of remembrance, even in its uncomfortable form, and that the horseman is part of that history. Critics, however, find the monument in a public space offensive, especially for descendants of the victims of the colonial era—such as the Herero and Nama, who continue to experience suffering and injustice to this day.